Allergic swelling, also known as vascular swelling, is a common symptom after exposure to an allergic substance. Typically, swelling occurs around the eyes, lips, hands, feet, and/or throat. Although it can be uncomfortable and scary to look at, it usually subsides on its own. As long as the swelling doesn’t interfere with your ability to breathe, you can treat it yourself at home. But if it persists, worsens, or affects breathing, you must seek medical treatment. Fortunately, allergic swelling is preventable.

Treat Swelling at Home

Take antihistamines. This reduces the body’s response to the allergen, thereby reducing swelling. You can buy over-the-counter antihistamines yourself, or your doctor can prescribe the best medication for you.

• Some antihistamines cause drowsiness, may work quickly, and can be taken in varying doses. When taking it during the day, choose medications that are labeled “not causing drowsiness,” such as cetirizine (Zyrmax), loratadine (Claritan), and fexofenadine (Allegra). None of them cause drowsiness and can relieve allergy symptoms for up to 24 hours.
• Do not take antihistamines for more than a week without consulting your doctor.
• Talk to your doctor before taking antihistamines.

Apply a cold compress to the affected area for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Applying cold compresses such as ice packs can reduce the body’s inflammatory response while achieving swelling and analgesic effects.

• When applying a cold compress, do not put the ice cube directly on the skin. Wrap the ice cube in a cloth first. Otherwise, the skin may be injured.

If you are taking any medications, supplements, or herbal medicines not prescribed by your doctor, stop taking them. These medications can cause allergies in some people, and even common over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen can cause allergies in some people.

• Get your doctor’s permission before resuming medication.

If your throat is swollen, you can use an inhaler (if you have one). This helps expand your airways. However, difficulty breathing requires immediate medical attention.

• If you have trouble breathing, be sure to get emergency treatment.

Use epinephrine syringes in emergencies. The active ingredient in an epinephrine syringe is epinephrine, a stimulant that can quickly relieve the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

• After taking this medication, see your doctor immediately.
• If your doctor doesn’t prescribe an epinephrine syringe for you, go to the emergency department. They will give you medication there.

Seek Medical Treatment

If symptoms persist or are severe, see your doctor. If the swelling doesn’t affect your ability to breathe, then treatment at home is fine. If symptoms do not resolve or worsen after a few hours, you should seek medical attention. Your doctor may prescribe stronger medications, such as corticosteroids.

• You should also see your doctor if you have never had swelling before.
• If you have difficulty breathing, make strange sounds when breathing, or feel faint, seek medical attention immediately for emergency treatment.

Ask your doctor to prescribe oral corticosteroids. These medications reduce inflammation in the body, thereby reducing swelling. Doctors often use these medications after antihistamines alone fail to reduce swelling.

• For example, your doctor may prescribe prednisone.
• Corticosteroid medications have side effects including fluid retention, high blood pressure, weight gain, glaucoma, mood problems, behavioral problems, and memory problems.
• For severe reactions, doctors may give corticosteroids through a vein.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions when taking medicine.

If necessary, do allergen testing to find out what the allergen is. Your doctor may ask you to do allergen testing. In this case, you’ll want to see an allergist. The nurse will scratch your skin with small amounts of various allergens and monitor your reactions to each substance to see which one you are allergic to.

• Your doctor will evaluate your test results. They will use this information to recommend appropriate treatment options, such as allergen avoidance and allergy shots.
• A single reaction, especially a mild one, may not require testing or regular treatment. However, severe reactions, or reactions that occur so frequently that they interfere with normal life, need to be tested.

Prevent Allergic Swelling

An allergen is something that causes an allergic reaction in you, such as a food, object, or plant. The best way to prevent the swelling that accompanies an allergic reaction is to stay away from the allergen.

• Check the ingredient list of food before eating.
• Ask others about the ingredients in food and drinks.
• Do not take medications, supplements, or herbal remedies before consulting your doctor.
• Keep your home clean and try to remove all allergens. For example, clean regularly with a dust collector that captures particulates to prevent dust from entering your home.
• Use a high-efficiency particulate air filter.
• Don’t go out during peak pollen season. Or wear a face covering when going out.
• Avoid contact with animals whose fur you are allergic to.

Your doctor may recommend that you take antihistamines every day, which can control allergy symptoms for 24 hours without causing drowsiness, such as cetirizine (Zyrmax), loratadine (Claritan), etc. In some cases, doctors may also prescribe inhalers, corticosteroids, and other medications. Take the medicine as prescribed by your doctor.

• Without medication, your body will be more likely to react to allergens.

Avoid things that make swelling worse. This often includes hot environments, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages. Although these are not the direct cause of allergic swelling, they can worsen the swelling or make your body more susceptible to swelling.

• Ibuprofen and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors can also make swelling worse. If your doctor has prescribed this medication, don’t stop taking it. Ask your doctor if they think the benefits of taking the medication outweigh the risk of swelling.

Tips

• Allergic swelling usually lasts from 1 to 3 days, but can last longer if you have ingested something that your body must get rid of.